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VMware previews paravirtualization

Stephen Shankland Former Principal Writer
Stephen Shankland worked at CNET from 1998 to 2024 and wrote about processors, digital photography, AI, quantum computing, computer science, materials science, supercomputers, drones, browsers, 3D printing, USB, and new computing technology in general. He has a soft spot in his heart for standards groups and I/O interfaces. His first big scoop was about radioactive cat poop.
Expertise Processors, semiconductors, web browsers, quantum computing, supercomputers, AI, 3D printing, drones, computer science, physics, programming, materials science, USB, UWB, Android, digital photography, science. Credentials
  • Shankland covered the tech industry for more than 25 years and was a science writer for five years before that. He has deep expertise in microprocessors, digital photography, computer hardware and software, internet standards, web technology, and more.
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Stephen Shankland

VMware, an EMC subsidiary that that once had the x86 server virtualization market to itself, released on Friday a technology preview that helps bridge a divide with open-source rival Xen.

Virtualization lets multiple operating systems run on the same machine, a technology that can increase server efficiency. Paravirtualization is related, but in comparison offers higher performance and requires that an operating system be explicitly adapted to the virtualized foundation on which it's running.

VMware's virtualization foundation thus far employs full virtualization, while Xen and an upcoming alternative from Microsoft code-named Viridian employ paravirtualization. VMware's preview technology lets paravirtualized operating systems run on VMware's foundation, the company said.

Currently, the software supports only 32-bit versions of Linux, and USB doesn't work.